Safety detention screen



June 1941- E. B. INGERSOLL ET AL 2, 6,995

SIAFETYJDETENTION SCREEN F iled March 18, 1940 Fla-2 Evi -Ml- INVENTORS ELTON BJNGERSQLLfl-UMRDGPLLSBURY,

' FRANK R.E. SMITH &

LEON E. WILLETT BY 3 W M ATTORNF.

Patented June 24, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE 2,246,995 SAFETY DETENTION SCREEN Michigan Application March 18, 1940, Serial No. 324,718

9 Claims.

This invention relates to screens for windows and doors, and more particularly to a very heavy strong screen device such as is used either to afford some protection against burglars or other unauthorized intruders, or, in the case of detention or other institutions, such as for the confinement of mental cases, or in hospitals, or even in jails, to prevent any unauthorized person, either intentionally or unintentionally, from accomplishing exit or entrance through the screen, and all this Without likelihood of injury to the person, as in the case of one non ccmpos mentis.

Screens of this kind, as a genera-l rule, consist of a rigid outer frame adapted to be mounted in the building in one way or another, and in which is supported a panel of Wire screen mesh, which in this case is very heavy strong wire, closely Woven to prevent the passage of insects and the like, but so strong and hard as to be incapable of cutting by simple instruments as might be available, or by the sheer strength of an individual, and which panel is movably mounted in the outer frame against yielding resistance so as to give upon impact and prevent injury either to the screen or to the patient.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved screen of this kind in which the rigid outer frame is provided with the necessary chambers, one to receive the screen panel mounting devices, and the other to receive locking or securing devices, hinge or other securing parts, and which outer frame is made entirely of strong sheet metal and thus is not only durable but also is capable of manufacture on a quantity scale at relatively low cost, and which can be made of any suitable or desired strength for the purpose.

Another object of the invention is to improve the manner of mounting the screen panel in the outer rigid frame, and more particularly to so mount said panel as to enable it readily to accommodate itself to impact or attempt at distortion in various ways, the edges of the panel being attached to the supporting means at intervals, and the supporting means including strong substantial springs each attached to the screen at two or more points, with a sort of whifiletree or equalizing action, for the purposes described.

Another object of the invention is to provide mounting means for a screen panel of this kind including leaf or bar springs, of elongated form, capable of being made with any desired degree of tension and consequently with any desired degree additional spring leaves or bars, not only can the spring tension be increased by the resiliency of the leaves themselves, but also by the adjustment of the parts afforded by insertion of extra leaves, as will more fully appear. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a screen of this kind in which the rigid frame, made of sheet metal, as before stated, is provided with a cross wall or bridge not only serving to supply the two chambers aforesaid, one for the panel mounting means and the other for the locking bolts or other devices, but which also very materially strengthens the frame itself and assists in final attachment of the parts when assembled, but which also serves as the attaching means for the panel mounting devices and enables the latter to be so constructed and arranged as to insure that the panel will always lie in the same plane, and particularly a plane intermediate the two faces of the screen as a whole.

Further objects of the invention are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter.

In the drawing, which represents one suitable embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a front elevation partly broken out to expose interior parts; Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view on the line 2-2, Fig. 1, on a larger scale; Fig. 3 is a similar sectional View on the line 3-3, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a detail elevation view, on a larger scale, showing a short section of the outer rigid frame, with the near face side plate broken away to expose interior parts; and Fig. 5 is a similar view, showing the. same parts but including an additional of resistance to strain, and in which the parts are so arranged that by the use of one or more spring leaf.

The screen forming the subject matter of the present invention may be of any desired shape but, as a whole, is generally rectangular. While it is more frequently used as a screen for window openings, the invention is not so limited and the screen may be used for doors, skylights or any other openings, as desired. For convenience, and not from any standpoint of limitation, the drawing shows the invention applied to a window screen.

The screen illustrated comprises a four-sided more or less rigid outer frame including the longer side members I, 2, a top member 3, and a bottom member 4. These four members of. the rigid frame all have substantially the same cross section, shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Each comprises front and rear side wall plates 5, 6, alike in cross section, but of course the reverse of each other, and all thereof being capable of fabrication from sheet metal by rolling or pressing operations.

As a general rule four such plate members, two to form the front Wall plates for the side members and one each for the top and bottom members, are permanently and rigidly secured to each other as one unit of the rigid frame, by suitably mitering and welding the parts at the corners of the frame. On the other face of the screen the four wall plates may be handled individually, as shown in Fig. 1, although four of them may be secured together as a unit, to be handled together, like the corresponding unit on the other face of the frame. The invention, however, is not limited to any particular arrangement.

Around its four sides the rigid frame is reinforced in any suitable manner, such as to form the two chambers before referred to. This is accomplished in the form shown by four channel members 1, Fig. 2, one of the side walls 8 of each of which is welded, by spot welding or at intervals, to the adjacent wall plates of the first four-sided unit before referred to. When the rigid frame is finally completed, as shown, it comprises eight members welded together as one unit, to-wit, the four channels I, one for each side and one each for the top and bottom, and four wall plates, 5, one each for the sides, top and bottom on one face of the frame. The removable cover consists of the four wall plates, 6, one for each side, one for the top and one for the bottom on the other face of the frame, these removable cover plates being removably attached to the channel members 1, as by screws 9.

Along their inner edges the several plates of the side, top and bottom members are bent inwardly toward each other, as at HI, and then reversely, as at H, to provide a bevelled finish including a narrow slot or opening 12 extending peripherally around the frame and through which the edges of the screen panel l3 extend.

The screen panel may be made of any suitable material, preferably non-corrodible, such as strong bronze or copper wire, or even steel, chromium plated, stainless, or other suitable material of suitable size and strength for the purpose. As a general rule copper or bronze is too soft, because it can be cut, and in many cases the wire actually is made of a suitable steel alloy so formed as to be rust resisting and also strong enough so that it cannot be cut with simple tools available to patients, and which will stand the wear and tear of blows, weight, impact and the like, as by an insane patient attempting to break through the screen wire.

Attempts to break through the screen in the manner just described obviously would cause it to tend to bulge out on one side. The wire along the edges, in other words, all tends to move toward the point of impact. Therefore the present invention so mounts the screen panel in the outer frame as to enable it to accommodate itself to all such attempts at distortion or breaking through.

As shown, the four edges of the wire screen panel, at intervals, are provided with attaching devices, such as the holding bars 14, arranged in pairs, the two bars of a pair opposing each other on opposite faces of the screen panel, and being secured together to clamp the wire screen between them by screws l5. Preferably the holding bars [4 are each provided on one face with a channel, as at It, and on the other face with a rib as at H, to produce a jog or bend in the screen wire and more nearly permanently attaching it to the holding bars and preventing its separation therefrom.

These holding bars, in pairs, are distributed at suitable intervals along the edges of the screen panel, say on about eight-inch centers, the bars themselves being about four inches in length so as to leave a stretch of unclamped wire between each pair.

To each pair of holding bars is attached a suitable spring receiving yoke of generally U form, shown as here comprising plate form ears l8 attached by the same screws I5, the two cars lying in parallel planes and carrying a cross pin or bar 19 passing through openings therein.

As before stated, the holding bars M are channeled on one face and ribbed on the other face so that the faces of two bars between which the wire screen is clamped interlock with each other and deform the wire screen to produce a more positive clamping or gripping effect upon the wire. correspondingly, their outer faces, engaged by the ears l8, between which they are clamped, are similarly shaped, and the ears I8 are of corresponding form, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. This arrangement provides positive and definite interlock between the ears l8 and bars 14. Therefore, when the clamping bolts l5 are screwed up tight, the longitudinal shoulders of the ribs and grooves are interlocked with each other, so that strain, as the result of impact, blows or pressure upon the wire screen panel, imparted to the bars I4, is directly transmitted to the ears l8 instead of through the metal of the clamping bolts l4, and the latter are not put in shear. The entire construction therefore is considerably stronger To the rigid outer frame member we also attach, at corresponding intervals, similar generally U form spring attaching yokes, in this case formed by plate-like ears 2%, welded along their edges to the outer edges of the webs of the channel members I, each two ears being again cross connected by a pin or bar 2|.

Yielding means is provided to connect the edges of the screen panel to the rigid frame, shown in this case as elongated curved leaf springs 22, each spring, at its middle point, being supported upon and longitudinally slidable relative to a pin 2|, and having its outer end portions provided with curved hooked portions 23 extending under and locked beneath the pins 19.

As shown, the springs 22 are slightly narrower than the distance between the plates of the yokes l8 and the plates of the yokes 20, so as to work freely between them as the screen panel moves back and forth. Further, the pins [9, 2| are of a length corresponding to approximately the distance between the side plates 5, 6, which therefore confine them in their ears and prevent pin escape.

With the arrangement described the screen panel at intervals is provided with the aforesaid elongated holding bars which strengthen its edges and tend to hold the wire of the screen panel in a single plane. These holding bars are supported yieldingly upon the leaf springs, but each leaf spring is connected to two of the holding bars, the arrangement resembling the mounting of a whiflietree, with an equalizing effect. This arrangement makes it possible to use a spring which is relatively shallow in the direction in which it is flexed, that is, in the plane of the'screen panel, so that it occupies minimum space and does not increase, and even tends to reduce the over-all dimension of the rigid frame members transversely to their length. At the same time the spring may be of leaf form and of any desired strength, by variation in its thickness or the character of its temper. So that it is possible, by spring variation, to provide any degree of resistance to distortion or strain. Again, the Various parts of the screen panel are enabled to work more or less independently of each other. Defiecting force applied in the Zone of one corner of the screen panel, for example, can be taken up by movement of the closely adjacent pairs of holding bars, without motion of others more remote, and the holding bars along one side edge of the panel may move different amounts under the same impact.

Again, with leaf springs riding above and beneath cross pins, and with yoke members sym-.

metrically arranged in the frame and with respect to the screen panel, the parts can move, including any necessary self-accommodating movement of each spring with reference to the bar 2| on which it is mounted, but, regardless of the character or type of motion of the panel in its own plane, it maintains its position symmetrically between the two faces of the screen as a whole.

In the screen so far described, but a single leaf spring is used at each of the suspension points. However, the parts are so arranged as to enable the spring tension to be varied not only by substituting spring leaves tempered to individually provide different degrees of resistance, but, as shown in Fig. 5, by proper design of the parts, one or more additional spring leaves 22a. may be inserted in parallel relation to each other at each suspension point, two being shown in Fig. 5. Thus, if in the original construction of a given screen it is found that the resistance to screen panel movement is insufficient, said resistance may be increased by inserting additional spring leaves, one or more at each suspension point. Not only is the spring resistance thus increased by the resistance of the additional leaf, but there is an actual adjustment at each suspension point, because the insertion of an additional leaf requires the original leaf already there to be flexed to a greater degree to accommodate the inserted leaf, as will be readily understood.

When the spring is formed of two or more leaves, the leaves are made of approximately the same length and both end portions of all leaves are preferably bent outwardly, as shown in Fig. 5, so that'in a general way they interlock in nesting relation. With such an arrangement each multi-leaf spring is still longitudinally slidable with reference to the cross bar H on which it is supported, for self-accommodation of the yieldingly mounted screen panel with reference to the rigid frame, but the interlocked spring leaves are harnessed against movement relative to each other and are also prevented from escaping from the bars l9 seated on their outer ends.

Another advantage of using two or more spring leaves in multiple relationship at a single suspension point is the additional security supplied by that arrangement. In other words, if one of a plurality of springs so used together breaks, the remaining springs still offer a reasonable degree of security against escape of a patient.

The drawing does not illustrate locking bolts, hinges or other attaching parts, such as are provided between a window screen and the frame of the window opening in which it is mounted, or for a door when the invention is designed for that use. These parts may be secured in any manner and, where desirable, housed in the outer chamber provided by the cross wall l1.

It of course should be understood that, considering a screen as mounted in a building for detention purposes, the removable side plate or plates would lie on the outside of the building inaccessible to a patient or person confined within said building.

Further advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

What We claim is:

1. A screen of the character described, comprising a rigid frame having opposed side mem-- bers each including side plates and a connecting cross wall forming an inner peripherally extending chamber, said plates along their inner edges being spaced apart to form an inwardly facing slot opening into said chamber, a screen panel mounted in the opening of said frame with its edge portions extending through said slot, yielding mounting means for said panel, comprising holding devices attached to said panel and distributed at intervals along its edges, each thereof including a generally U-shaped member having a cross bar, and a series of elongated springs mounted on said rigid frame and extending longitudinally thereof within said chamber, each end of each spring being bent outwardly to form a recess to receive one of the said cross bars and prevent escape of said bars from the spring.

2. A screen of the character described, comprising a rigid frame having opposed side members each including side plates and a connecting cross wall forming an inner peripherally extending chamber, said plates along their inner edges being spaced apart to form an inwardly facing slot opening into said chamber, a screen panel mounted in the opening of said frame with its edge portions extending through said slot, yielding mounting means for said panel, comprising holding devices attached to said panel and distributed at intervals along its edges, and a series of elongated leaf springs distributed at intervals along said chamber, each thereof mounted intermediate its ends upon the rigid frame, and at each end being releasably connected to one of said holding devices.

3. A screen of the character described, comprising a rigid frame having opposed side members each including side plates and a connecting cross wall forming an inner peripherally extending chamber, said plates along their inner edges being spaced apart to form an inwardly facing slot opening into said chamber, a screen panel mounted in the opening of said frame with its edge portions extending through said slot, yielding mounting means for said panel, comprising holding devices attached to said panel and distributed at intervals along its edges, and a series of elongated leaf springs distributed at intervals along said chamber, each thereof mounted intermediate its ends upon the rigid frame, and at each end being releasably connected to one of said holding devices, each leaf spring including a plurality of superposed parallel leaves, permitting the spring resistance to be varied by selection of the desirable number of leaves, and the leaves of each spring having their end portions bent outwardly intonesting relation to prevent relative endwise motion between them.

4. A screen of the character described, comprising a rigid frame having opposed side members each including side walls and a connecting cross wall forming an inner peripherally extending chamber, the side walls being connected at intervals by cross bars, and aiong their inner edges being spaced apart to form an inwardly facing slot opening into said chamber, a screen panel mounted in the opening of said frame with its edge portions extending through said slot, yielding mounting means for said panel, comprising holding devices attached to said panel and distributed at intervals along its edges, and a series of elongated leaf springs distributed at intervals along said chamber, each thereof being bowed outwardly intermediate its ends and there mounted upon one of the cross bars of the rigid frame and loosely slidable longitudinally relative thereto, and each spring at each end being connected to one of said holding devices.

5. A screen of the character described, comprising a rigid frame having opposed side members each including side plates and a connecting cross wall forming an inner peripherally extending chamber, said plates along their inner edges being spaced apart to form an inwardly facing slot opening into said chamber, a screen panel mounted in the opening of said frame with its edge portions extending through said slot, yielding mounting means for said panel, comprising holding devices attached to said panel and distributed at intervals along its edges, and a series of elongated leaf springs distributed at intervals along said chamber, each thereof mounted intermediate its ends upon the rigid frame, and at each end being releasably connected to one of said holding devices, each of said ieaf springs being bowed outwardly intermediate its ends and the opposite end portions of each spring each being provided with a hooked portion releasably engaging its holding device to prevent accidental separation therefrom.

6. A screen of the character described, comprising a rigid frame having opposed side members each including side plates and a connecting cross wall forming an inner peripherally extending chamber, said plates along their inner edges being spaced apart to form an inwardly facing slot opening into said chamber, a screen panel mounted in the opening of said frame with its edge portions extending through said slot, yielding mounting means for said panel, comprising holding devices attached to said panel and distributed at intervals along its edges, each holding device being provided with a yoke including side members and a pin cross connecting the same, and a series of leaf springs each mounted intermediate its ends within the said chamber of said frame and having its two ends freely movable, each spring end extending beneath one of said cross pins and providing suspension for a portion of the screen panel.

7. A screen of the character described, comprising a rigid frame having opposed side members each including side walls and a connecting cross wall provided at intervals around the frame with cross bar members, elongated leaf springs one mounted at its middle portion upon each of said cross bars, a wire screen panel mounted in the opening of said frame, and holding devices distributed at intervals along the edges of said panel, one for each end of each of said leaf springs, each holding device including a pair of rigid clamping bar members, each having a rib on one face and a groove on its opposite face, the two bars of each device being applied to opposite faces of the wire screen panel with their ribs and grooves in registering relation, a generally U-shaped device having side arms embracing the two clamping bars of each holding device and provided respectively with shouldered portions to interlock with the ribs and grooves on the outer faces thereof and a cross bar supported upon one end of one of said springs, and securing devices passing through the side arms of said U-shaped devices, the clamping bars interlocked therewith, and the wire screen panel held between said bars, and firmly holding them rigid relatively to each other.

8. A screen of the character described, comprising a rigid frame having opposed side members each including side walls and a connecting cross wall forming an inner peripherally extending chamber, the side walls being connected at intervals by cross bars, and along their inner edges being spaced apart to form an inwardly facing slot opening into said chamber, a screen panel mounted in the opening of said frame with its edge portions extending through said slot, yielding mounting means for said panel, comprising holding devices attached to said panel and distributed at intervals along its edges, and a series of elongated leaf springs distributed at intervals along said chamber, each being mounted intermediate its ends upon one of the cross bars of the frame and movable longitudinally relative to the frame, and each spring at each end being connected to one of said holding devices.

9. A screen of the character described, comprising an open rigid frame having side and end members, a wire screen panel mounted in the opening of said frame, holding devices attached to the edges of said panel, each thereof including a pair of rigid clamping bar members, each bar member having a rib on one face and a groove on its opposite face, the two bars of each device being applied to opposite faces of the edge portion of the panel with their ribs and grooves in registering relation, side members which together embrace the bars of said device and provided respectively with shouldered portions to interlock with the ribs and grooves on the outer faces of said bars, clamping means for securely binding together the said side members, bars and screen panel, and stressed yielding means connecting said side members to the rigid frame and tending to stretch the panel in its own plane.

ELTON B. INGERSOLL. HOWARD G. PILLSBURY. FRANK R. E. SMITH. LEGN E. WILLETT. 

